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Table 2 Extent of diagnostic delay reported within articles included in systematic review (n = 22)

From: Diagnostic delay for giant cell arteritis – a systematic review and meta-analysis

   

Sex

Age

Reported diagnostic delay

Converted diagnostic delaya

Lead author, reference

Definition of GCA

n

% F

Mean

SD

Range

Time

Mean

SD

Range

Mean weeks of delay

SD

Calamia [25]

Positive TAB for GCA after fever was initial symptom

15

66.7

67

57–75

M

3b

Bella Cueto [26]

Positive TAB for GCAc

100

53

71.6

52–88

D

126

6–2190

18

52

Karanjia [27]

Positive TAB for GCA and/or study defined clinical criteria

63

D

52

Desmet [28]

Positive TAB for GCA

34

73.5

70.8

60–99

Positive TAB for GCA, with cranial or polymyalgia symptomsc

21

D

8.5

10.9

1–40

1.2

1.6

Positive TAB for GCA with constitutional (fever, fatigue, anorexia or weight loss) symptoms

13

D

21.5

27.9

2–105

3.1

4.0

Kelkel [29]

Positive TAB for GCA and/or study defined clinical criteria

130

74.6

76

7.5

60–92

M

5b

0.5–48

Myklebust [30]

Positive TAB for GCA, without PMRc

39

70.4

M

1.5

0.25–7.0

6.4

7.2

Positive TAB for GCA, with PMR

15

74.4

M

1.9

0.5–5

8.1

10.7

Brack [31]

Large-vessel GCA (GCA diagnosis with vasculitic involvement)

74

88

66

52–85

M

8.1

0.1–48.0

34.7

34.2

Cranial GCA (Positive TAB)c

74

78

72

54–89

M

2.6

0.5–11.0

11.1

7.5

Duhaut [32]

Incident cases of GCA, who satisfy inclusion criteria, including positive TABc

207

75.8

75.6 (F) 74.1 (M)

8 7.4

– –

D

48

5–2113

6.9

50.2

Incident cases of GCA, who satisfy inclusion criteria, with negative TAB

85

65.9

75.1 (F) 74.0 (M)

7.8 8.6

– –

D

33

4 – 1096

4.7

26.0

Nesher [33]

GCA defined using 1990 ACR criteriac

144

64.6

73.0

M

1.5

0.1–12

6.4

7.9

Hu [34]

Positive TAB for GCA or on clinical grounds (response to steroids)

16

6.3

43.1

28–60

M

5.5

0.25–24.3

Liozon [11]

Positive TAB for GCAc

175

64.6

75.2

7.1

D

79

83.5

11.3

11.9

Silent GCA (constitutional symptoms, raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate)

21

66.7

74.3

7.9

D

123

30 – 360

17.6

7.9

Overt cranial GCA

130

63.8

75.6

6.9

D

70

4 – 350

10.0

8.2

Nuenninghoff [35]

GCA defined using 1990 ACR criteria

168

79.2

75.6

D

40b

21–89

Gonzalez-Gay [36]

Positive TAB for GCA, with vascular involvementc

199

52.8

74.6

7.0

W

9.8

10.8

9.8

10.8

Positive TAB for GCA, without vascular involvement

11

72.7

73.8

5.3

W

20.2

17.6

20.2

17.6

Pease [37]

GCA diagnosis (1990 ACR criteria) after initial presentation with polymyalgia symptomsc

42

71

60–81

M

3.0

0.4 – 22.1

12.9

23.3

Loddenkemper [38]

Positive TAB for GCA

90

74.4

74.6

7.8

D

125b

2–2555

Mari [39]

Positive TAB for GCA and 3 or more 1990 ACR criteriac

79

77.2

74.8

59–89

D

92

12 – 498

13.1

11.6

Ezeonyeji [13]

GCA in medical recordsc

65

72.3

75

  

D

35

2 – 336

5.0

11.9

Mackie [40]

GCA with ischaemic manifestation (GCA defined by 1990 ACR criteria, positive TAB or clinical features)c

222

71.0

72

67–78

D

64

98.3

12.3–78.5

9.1

14.0

Czihal [41]

GCA in medical recordsc

110

76.4

69

8.4

W

18.2

21.8

18.2

21.8

Extra-cranial GCA

59

83.1

62.5

7.6

W

28.7

25.1

28.7

25.1

Cranial GCA

51

68.6

73.7

7.0

W

6.5

6.6

6.5

6.6

Prieto-Gonzalez [42]

Positive TAB for newly-diagnosed GCA and 1990 ACR classificationc

40

67.5

79.0

57–92

D

74.2

90.5

5 – 365

10.6

12.9

Patil [20]

Conventional pathway – GCA diagnosis in medical recordsc

46

71.7

75.4

7.6

D

32.0

39.5

1–196

4.6

5.6

Fast-track pathway – GCA based on clinical features, lab results, biopsy and response to steroids

67

77.6

74.1

7.6

D

35.9

47.6

0–206

5.1

6.8

GCA patients (total)c

204

79.9

76.0

8.2

D

41.3

95.5

5.9

13.6

Singh [43]

GCA without visual manifestation. Positive TAB for newly-diagnosed GCA and 1990 ACR classification

157

81.0

75.6

7.8

D

44.5

107.3

6.4

15.3

GCA with visual manifestation. Positive TAB for newly-diagnosed GCA and 1990 ACR classification

47

77.0

77.4

9.2

D

30.6

31.1

4.4

4.4

  1. aIf the extent of diagnostic delay was reported as ‘days’ or ‘months’, this was converted to weeks
  2. bMedian
  3. cDataset used in meta-analysis
  4. ACR American College of Rheumatology, GCA giant cell arteritis, TAB temporal artery biopsy, PMR polymyalgia rheumatica
  5. Time: D days, W weeks, M months